Letters to the Editor June 12, 2013

As I see the country tax issues unfold, I’m reminded of the Beatles’ song “Taxman”: “If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street. If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat. If you get too cold, I’ll tax the heat, if you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet!”

So the tax levy was going to “sunset” in five years. Sure! And the citizens of Curry County all fell off the same turnip truck. Since when did any politician end a tax like that after getting it started? If you don’t believe me, you have not been paying attention. Not local or nationally.

But wait! We have a fix on the way in the next election. Our “taxing” commissioners are now talking about a “possible” combination of all the new taxes. Sales tax, property tax, lodging transient tax, etc. (tax– tax – tax). Now there’s a big cookie we can all bite into. I didn’t vote to tax myself the last time and I’m not going to the next or the next.

How about we eliminate the commissioner positions and have the various “working” supervisors (sheriff, health department, etc.) meet a few days a month as one team to work out issues. Without paying all that money to the “taxing” commissioners, we could probably give a few good deputies their jobs back. (Just guessing here folks.) It seems as though we keep sending our petty thieves to prison and electing the great ones to public office.

If you happen to disagree with this, don’t blast me. Just give us all your own “untaxed” idea.

Just my thoughts.

Jeff McMoran

Bookings

Let them pay taxes

A Curry County official is 100 percent right on!

A while ago a Curry County public official stated “50 percent or over half of all the land in Curry County is both Federal and State owned.” Hmmm ... doesn’t that make a person wonder just a little bit? Why are they getting by free?

Who pays, for example, for fire control of a huge wildland fire “like the Biscuit complex fire”?

They call us in Curry County “Rural Nuisances”; — with a sometimes a great notion mentality — (which I am mighty proud of our independent timber harvesting families) and they conclude we are all O&C federal welfare recipients; and want to force us into the mainstream like other large population Oregon counties.

Well here is my wife Ruby Wagner and myself Brice Wagner’s opinion. Each and every Curry County resident knows why and what is stopping federal timber sales; there is no need to “beat on that dead horse.” Let the 50 percent of all of our beautiful counties — federal land and state land — pay their fair share of property tax. This in turn would let them pay for the land that’s tied up, and put out of modern forest practices. Let federal and state lands pay their share of property tax.

Each of us who are property owners here in Curry County pay our property taxes; so let the federal and the state land holders stop from being freeloaders — our county certainly wouldn’t be hurting for funds to operate on if this were to happen.

Brice and Ruby Wagner

Elk River/Port Orford

attitude correction

I would like to say that sometimes people speak first and think second.

It seems that people must point their finger at others without knowing the full facts. I am guilty of this more often than not.

I was upset with the Pilot staff about the coverage of the Memorial Day coverage at the VFW Hall on Memorial Day. It was at best a very confusing day with the bad weather and not being able to have the service at the port as usual.

The coverage normally each year is always right on target.

The newspaper is not a sounding board for all of us to vent our anger and place blame on their missing some of the facts. I’m far from being perfect and they as well. They usually get it right.

In most cases, they print letters to the editor even if they take a hit. They do try to let everyone vent their ideas or frustrations.

Let’s give them some slack.

Rick Bremer, VFW Post 966 commander

Brookings

didn’t fall for scam

We received a postcard saying that we were to receive a $100 gift card from Walmart and Target stores.

They told us to call a phone number of 855-733-8173 — with a reward claim 011599535. My wife called the number and the person with a dialect unknown answered.

She stated the $100 card would be ours with an activation charge of $6.95.

My wife said “No thank you” and did hang up.

We called Walmart and they said it was a scam.

Richard and Doris Henderson

Harbor

acts of stupidity

Once again the tax measure failed. Now the county commissioners and the citizens committee want to impose a 3-percent sales tax.

Is this the only thing they understand? The county commissioners have known for the last 10-plus years that the timber monies were going to stop, but instead of trying to fix the problem then and change the way the county spends its funds they wait until the 12th hour and tell everyone the sky is falling.

If the commissioners cannot balance a budget knowingly that the timber funds were to stop then they should be held accountable and removed from office. Shame on the county commissioners and the Citizens Committee for not coming up with a budget. Priority one should be to automatically preserve the jobs of our safety officers and the safety and security of the public. By them not spending the county monies wisely to protect the safety and security of our citizens is neglect of duty and irresponsible.

A transit tax or a 3-percent sales tax is not and will not fix the problem. This is not why people visit the coast here in Brookings and Gold Beach. The commissioners should take a pay cut of 20 percent first and before they start cutting projects as public safety until such time the county is back in the black; they should do this first and foremost before any other avenue is taken and stop hiring advisers to tell them what we can for free.

Stop funding these frivolous projects that do not benefit anyone or do not need until the economy comes back. You Do Not Impress Anyone with these selfish acts of stupidity.

Fred Johnson

Brookings

hanna’s banana wins

The 20th annual slug races were a great success, with 80 fine-tuned racing slugs.

Held on Memorial Sunday, the event brought in $118 for the South Coast Humane Society.

The slug ladies wish to thank the slug training ranch owners Laurie and Dean and the training crew — you know who you are, the ladies from the Humane Society, Glenda and Jan, for handling the race track. You were amazing ladies; thanks for making this a great race.